Bound By Your Word
by Tenchi Knight
Summary: What happens when you mix magic with Truth or Dare? Read and find out. BenXGwen. Rated T because of the subject matter.


Bound By Your Word

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 or associated characters. I'm not receiving any form of payment for these  
works.

"Ben? Gwen? Something's come up and I need you to stay in the rust bucket for a couple days." Maxwell  
Tennyson said, looking at his thirteen year old grandchildren.

"What happened, Grandpa?" Gwen asked.

"It's plumber business, Gwen." Max said.

"Oh... all right..." Gwen said. "Wait... that means I have to stay here with the dweeb?"

"Whatever, nerd." Ben riposted.

"When I get back, please, don't let me find the rust bucket in a flaming pile of wreckage, all right?" Max  
pled.

"I'll make sure he behaves." Gwen said while smiling sweetly at Ben who stuck his tongue out in response.  
Max sighed and held his forehead as he stepped from the RV and climbed into a waiting car.

"Well, I know what I'm gonna do." Ben said. "Sumo slammers!"

Gwen rolled her eyes and climbed onto her bunk to read from her spell book.

HOURS LATER...

"Gwen?" Ben said, having shut off his game.

"Yeah, Ben?" Gwen said.

"I'm worried about Grandpa."

"Don't worry, Ben. He's gonna be fine." Gwen said, looking at her cousin. "I mean, look at all he's gone  
through in the past and he's come through unscathed!"

"Un-what?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed tiredly. "Unhurt."

"Oh." He said. "I wonder if there's anything to eat..."

"Well, look in the fridge." She said dryly.

He groaned and stood before shambling over to the refrigerator and opening it to look inside. After a few  
minutes, he sighed and closed it once more.

"Nothing made up." He said. "Can you make something?"

She looked at him levelly for a moment before sitting up.

"You know what, Ben? I've read through this book and I'm kinda tired of reading so I'll make you a deal. If I  
make you something to eat, you have to agree to play a simple game with me."

"What game?" He asked, suspicious of this odd request.

"Do you want me to make you something to eat?" She asked.

He looked at her for a long moment then sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, sure." He said and a wide grin  
split her face. She stood and walked to the fridge, pushing a few things aside and pulling out a Styrofoam  
box. He looked at it for a long moment and she smiled at him.

"Dinner is served." She said.

"What is it?" He asked cautiously. If it came from the fridge, there's a good chance that Max had a hand in  
making it. If that were the case... well... there are a few cast-iron skillets that would have a tough time standing  
up to the substance.

"Burger and fries, She said. "I got it a few days ago, but Grandpa made me eat his earthworm casserole."

"Ugh... I remember that one..." He said. "Wait a second... you don't eat meat... that's a tofu burger!"

"It tastes the same." She said dryly.

"Lies!" He exclaimed.

"Ben... what do you think that burger you ate at Jimbo's was?" Gwen asked sweetly while grinning at him. "I  
ordered you a tofu cheeseburger and fries just for this sort of occasion so you can't say they taste gross since  
you wolfed it down thinking it was beef."

"You're evil." He said.

"Fine. I'll eat it instead."

"Oh, no you don't." He said. "You offered it to me. It's mine."

She nodded and walked to the microwave before putting it in to warm it up.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER...

"Not too bad..." He said. "Kinda funny aftertaste, though."

He burped and she rolled her eyes at him.

"So what's the game called?" He asked.

"It's called 'veritas vel oboedientio.'" Gwen said.

"Ok... in English?" He said.

"Roughly translated?" She said. "Truth or obedience..."

"Wait a second... you tricked me into playing truth or dare?!" He demanded.

She smiled proudly at him. "Yes, Ben, I did. And don't even think of trying to lie to me. You've already said  
you will tell the truth or obey me. This is a magic game... one we're both bound by... so you're stuck."

"So are you!" He said.

"I guess... just remember: anything bad you do to me, I'll do worse to you." Gwen threatened.

"Huh." He said. "So who goes first?"

"Who do you think should go first?" Gwen asked.

"You should." Ben said and clapped his hands over his mouth while glaring at his cousin.

"Yep, working like a charm." She said, grinning. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." He said.

"I dare you to go into the kitchen and eat a big bite of Grandpa's grub-worm stew."

He growled as he walked into the kitchen before walking back out with a heaping spoon of the murky-brown  
concoction. He puts it into his mouth before swallowing it down and looking vaguely ill.

"Your turn," She said.

"Truth or dare," He said.

"Truth."

"What scares you the most?" He asked.

"The thought of losing anyone I care about," She said. "Like my parents, Grandpa, or you. Truth or dare?"

"Wait... you care about me?" He asked.

"Not your question." She said. "Now which do you pick?"

"I'm not gonna eat more of Grandpa's cooking... truth." He said.

"What question are you most afraid of being asked?" She asked and he gulped.

"Who do I care about?" He said. "Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"Why do you want to know?" He asked.

"It's really important to me." She said, managing to slip past the spell. "Truth or dare, Ben."

"If I say truth, you're gonna ask me... if I say dare... you're gonna make me eat grandpa max's cooking..." He  
said, looking forlorn. "Dare."

He stood and started toward the kitchen.

"I dare you to either answer one question for me or to eat another bite of Grandpa Max's food." She said.

"What's the question?"

"Why don't you want me to ask you?" She asked.

He stood there for a long moment and then sighed. "I don't want to answer you because I'm ashamed of the  
answer and I feel like once I say it, that everything will change... and I'm scared..."

She looked at him for a long moment then stood, walked over to him, and hugged him gently.

"Thank you, Ben." She said.

"You're welcome. Truth or dare?" He asked.

"Dare." She said.

"I dare you to eat a bite of that stuff I had to eat." He said, grinning at her. Her face screwed up in a grimace  
and she stuck out her tongue in a 'eww' expression. She then walked into the kitchen and took a bite of the  
atrocious food, feeling her stomach rumble in protest. She walked back over to the table and sat down across  
from Ben.

"Truth or dare." She said.

"Truth." He said.

"Who do you care about?" She asked, making him choke on his tongue.

He stared for a long moment before opening his mouth.

"I care about my mom and dad... and Grandpa Max... and I care... about... you..." He said, looking at the table  
with a blush on his cheeks. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." She said confidently.

"How do you feel about me?" He asked and she stared at him, taken aback by this odd question.

"How do I feel about you?" She asked to confirm what he had asked and he nodded. "You can be a pest... and  
a real dweeb... but you're my dweeb. You're my Ben and as angry as I get at you, I can't stay angry forever  
because there's just something about you that's impossible to hate."

He sat there, his mind working overtime as he tries to make sense of what she had said to him.

"Truth or dare?" She said, interrupting his train of thought.

"What?" He asked.

"Truth or dare?" She said once more.

He sat for a long moment and then sighed. "Truth."

"When we met Amy Buckwalter... you were drooling over yourself..."

"Was not," He said.

"Did you really feel anything for her?" She asked, pressing onward with her question.

"No." He said with a note of finality.

"Oh." She said softly.

"Truth or dare?" He asked.

"Truth." She said.

"Why do you care?"

"I worry about you, Ben." She said. "Truth or dare."

"Whoa... wait a second... you're gonna leave it at that?" He asked.

"Yes. Now truth or dare?" She asked.

"Truth." He said, irritated.

"If you were to die today, would you regret the time we spent together?" She asked. Ben stared at her, his  
irritation knocked flat with this strange question. "Ben?"

"No, Gwen, I wouldn't." He said softly. "Gwen, what's the matter?"

She waved her hand and turned her head away. "Your turn."

"Truth or dare?" He asked.

"Truth." She said.

He thought for a long moment and she gulped nervously. "Do you ever doubt your abilities?"

"What?" She asked, confused.

"When you're in a fight... do you ever doubt yourself?" He asked.

"Yes." She said.

"Then how do you manage to keep going?"

She smiles softly at him. "You're gonna have to wait for the next truth. Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Have you ever questioned if the right thing was really the right thing?" She asked.

"What?" He asked.

"Have you ever wondered if what society said was right was really right for you?"

"Yes." He said simply. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Why did you choose this game?" He asked.

"I was afraid you would lie to me..." She said softly, feeling ashamed.

"So you used the game as an excuse to use a truth spell on me?" He asked.

She nodded slowly, staring at the floor. "I'm sorry, Ben..."

"Gwen... we've known each other for years... and you think that I would lie to you?" He asked, sounding hurt.

"I think you lie to yourself." She said. "That's why... I wanted to make you tell the truth... and I want to be  
forced to tell the truth as well... I'm sick and tired of hiding from or burying the truth."

"Oh." He said. "It's your turn."

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How do you keep going forward when you doubt yourself?" He asked.

"I know that you'll always be there by my side." She said, blushing. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." He said.

"Are you angry at me? I mean for this trick with the spell." She asked.

"I'm kinda hurt but I can understand." He said.

"Thank you, Ben." She said softly.

"You're welcome, Gwen." He said. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Gwen said.

"Why did you ask if I questioned what society said was right for me?" He asked and she came up short, a look  
of terror on her face. "Gwen?"

"I was hoping that you had... because I have too." She said after a long pause.

He looked at her oddly for a moment before nodding.

"Truth or dare?" She asked.

"Truth." He said.

"Whose death would hurt the most if someone you cared about were to die right now?" Gwen asked.

"If someone I cared about died, who'd make me hurt the most?" Ben asked, incredulous.

"Yes." Gwen said softly.

"Gwen, what's going on?"

"Next truth," She said. "Now answer my question."

"You," He said. "We've spent so much time together, you're my closest friend. If I lost you... it would tear me  
apart..."

"Oh." She said softly.

"Truth or dare?" He asked.

"Truth," She said, knowing full well the next question.

"What is going on?" He asked. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

"I want to plumb the depth of your feelings." She said softly. "I want to know how you really feel and what  
thoughts are running around in your head. I want to know what makes you tick and why it is you are feeling  
and thinking the way you are. I want to know if you feel the same way I do."

He looked at her with his forehead scrunched up in deep thought.

"Truth or dare?" She asked.

"Truth."

"How do you really feel?"

"Confused..." He said softly. "That's how I feel. Truth or dare?"

"Dare." She said, trying to delay him from putting everything together.

"I dare you to tell me how you really feel." He said.

"What? That's a truth in dare's clothing!" She exclaims in protest.

"I know." He said.

"Ben..." She said softly.

"Fine, I'll change it." He said. "I dare you to show me how you really feel about me."

She gasped and her eyes went wide while he looked at her seriously.

"What happens between us stays between us." He said. "Now you've been dared."

She stared at him for a long moment before standing up from the table and walking toward the front of the  
RV. Ben stood a moment after and stared at his cousin's retreating back.

"Is that how you feel?" He asked with a note of pain in his voice.

She stopped as his words strike her in the heart then turned slowly, her cheeks streaked with tears. He  
swallowed hard as her brilliant jade eyes locked onto her own and she walked back to him.

"Gwen?" He said softly. "How..."

She reached out and put her finger on his lips, silencing him. Ben watched, immobile, as she stepped closer,  
her hand moving to cup his cheek as she leaned in and then kissed him softly on the lips. His eyes went wide  
and then drooped as surprise gave way to pleasure from the feeling of her petal soft lips pressing to his. As  
she broke the kiss, he opened his eyes and looked into hers with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"So..." He said softly.

"So?" She asked.

He stood there, unable to complete his sentence at first.

"Ben... Think about the game of truth or dare." She said. "I asked you how you feel about me, if you were to  
lose anyone, whose loss would hurt you the most, and who you care about."

"So you're trying to find out who I care about?" He asked.

"Then I asked if you ever questioned society's rules." She said.

"Ok... wait a second... you're saying..." He said, his mouth going dry before he can speak.

"I love you, Ben." She said softly, looking at the floor ashamedly. "There, I said it."

She turned and managed to walk just two paces before he jumped forward and grabbed her by the arm,  
spinning her around and catching her soundly with both arms. She stared at him with wide eyes for a long  
moment and he smiled at her.

"Do you think I'm gonna let you get away that easy?" He asked.

"Ben... it's my turn... truth or dare..." Gwen said, her breath tickling his lips.

"Truth."

"Do you love me?" She asked.

"I'd die without you." He said. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to kiss me again..."

THE NEXT MORNING...

Ben opened his eyes slowly and faltered at first as he saw a head of red hair just inches from his face before he  
remembered that they had continued playing truth or dare and had eventually ended up in bed together. He  
smiled and gently stroked his hand along her flat tummy as he held her close, just two layers of fabric  
separating their bodies. Gwen's eyes opened slowly and she smiled as she felt Ben's gentle caress.

"Morning, Ben." She said softly.

"Morning, Gwen." Ben said.

"Morning, kids." Max said and their eyes went wide with shock. "Are you two decent enough to get out of bed  
or should I give you a minute to dress before we talk?"

Gwen quickly took stock of her own state of apparel and then reached back and felt that Ben was also dressed  
in his pajamas and so tossed back the comforter covering the two of them and blushed as she realized the  
bottom four buttons of her top were undone, leaving her stomach exposed as she climbed out of bed. She  
fixed her shirt and Ben sat up next to her, both teenagers looking at their grandfather who was drinking a cup  
of coffee while watching them carefully.

"Grandpa..." Gwen started but Max held up his hand.

"I'd like to say something before anything is said." He said. "When I first saw you two in bed together, I was  
fairly certain you'd be decent, but there was a sliver of doubt. Thank you for proving me wrong. Now... what  
are you two doing in bed together?"

"Well... I dared her to sleep there..." Ben said.

"You were playing truth or dare?" Max asked.

"We were playing 'veritas vel oboedientio'." She said. "It's a magical version of truth or dare."

"And what possessed you to involve magic?" He asked.

"I wanted to know the truth and I felt like he'd try and hide it."

"And what exactly was it you trying to find out?" He asked.

"Well...you see..." She said. "It's like this..."

"I love Gwen." Ben said, making Gwen and Max turn and stare at him with shocked expressions. "She was  
trying to find out if I loved her... that's why she got me to play the game."

"Is this true?" Max asked.

"Yes." Ben said.

"No. Gwen, is what Ben saying true?"

"Well... sorta..." Gwen said. "You see... I've had a crush on Ben for the last three years and I wanted to know  
how he felt... and... Well... I wanted to find out how I felt as well... so I tricked Ben into playing the game."

"And in the process you found out that you each love the other?" Max asked and they nodded. "How does  
that end up with you two being in bed?"

"Well... the final dare of the night was for me to sleep in his bunk." Gwen said.

"Why?" Max asked.

"Well... I started the game... he had to finish it... and I said dare. We were both tired and sitting on the bed  
together and he dared me to go to bed... well... I did... in his bed." Gwen said.

"And that's how I found you two." Max said.

"Yes." They said together.

"You love her." Max said and Ben nodded. "And you love him."

"Yes." Gwen said.

"Well, you two leave me with just two options." He said. "I can call your parents and tell them everything  
that's happened..."

"You wouldn't." Gwen said.

"Gwen?" Ben said.

"He wouldn't do that. Our parents would freak out and forbid us from seeing one another. He knows this  
would keep us apart and then cause us to rebel and run off together." Gwen said.

"That's right." Max said. "So I've chosen to take the second option. I will accept your relationship so long as  
you tell your parents yourselves. Don't worry, I'll be there with you to lend you support if you need it but I  
want you to tell them everything that's going on."

Ben looked over at Gwen who reached her hand over and took his gently.

"All right, grandpa, we'll tell them." Gwen said. "But at the end of the trip."

"Actually... you'll be seeing them sooner than that..." Max said.

"What?" Gwen said.

"Well, Carl and Sandra decided to take a weekend retreat to the Northwest Cove Resort and invited Frank and  
Lily to join them." Max said. "I ran into them while doing some Plumber business and they said they'd be  
there for the next two days."

"So we're going there?" Ben asked, feeling sick.

"Yes." Max said. "Now I'm going to make breakfast. Why don't you go and take a shower, Ben?"

"Fine..." He said, then stood and walked into the bathroom.

"Gwen?" Max said.

"Yeah grandpa..?"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, I am." She said.

"All right," He said, and then walked to the front of the RV and climbed into the driver's seat. "Tell Ben we're  
gonna get on the road so he's gonna have to shower while we're rolling."

"OK." She said, and walked to the bathroom door...

THIRTY MINUTES LATER...

Gwen stepped out of the bathroom wearing a powder blue tee-shirt with a black cat on the chest and a pair of  
Capri pants and walked to the table where Ben was sitting and staring at the surface. She sat next to him and  
wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

"Everything alright?" She asked.

"I'm just thinking how I can break it to my parents so they don't freak." He said.

"They're gonna freak." She said. "They're parents. It's their job."

"So what do we do?" Ben asked.

"We weather the storm, just like we always do." She said, smiling at him reassuringly. "We've faced worse  
than this before and came out on top."

"Yeah, but only because I could use my aliens," Ben said.

"No, Ben, it's because we've stood together." Gwen said. "I trust in you, Ben. We're gonna be fine."

"Thanks, Gwen." He said, then turned and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Kids..." Max said.

They looked up toward the front and see he had the rear-view mirror turned to look at them.

"Not until after you and your parents have talked." He said.

"Oh, come on..." Ben complained.

"No." He said firmly.

"It's all right, Ben." Gwen said softly, wrapping her arm around Ben's back and holding him close to her.

Ben turned his body into his cousin and buried his face into the crook of her neck, taking comfort from the  
proximity as she holds him close.

"Tegumen silentium clausa," Gwen said and Ben was shocked as he no longer heard the sound of the road as  
the Rust Bucket rattled along.

"What happened?" Ben said.

"I sheltered us from outside sound." Gwen said. "It's a spell I learned for studying, but I guess it's got other benefits  
as well."

"Yeah." He said. "Hey... have you used it to block me out?"

"No." She said. "I just ignore you."

He looked at her with a hurt expression and she grinned at him before leaning forward and touching the tip of  
her nose to his.

"Eskimo kiss." She said and he chuckled.

"Grandpa can't say anything about that." He said.

"Uh oh." Gwen said. "Grandpa looked mad..."

Ben glanced at the front and saw that he was indeed glaring at the two of them. His mouth was moving, but  
they cannot hear a word he was saying. Ben touched his ear and shook his head and Max rolled his eyes in  
response.

"Yeah... he's mad..." Ben said.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER...

The Rust bucket rolled to a stop and Gwen looked out the window to see they have arrived outside the hotel.

"Aboleo." She said, dispelling the incantation and sighing softly.

"Come on, you two." Max said. "And Gwen, I'd appreciate if you didn't use your magic to block me out."

"I felt like you'd be chewing us out if we so much as looked at one another." Gwen said. "So I put up the  
shield so we could have some time together before our parents forbade us from seeing one another..."

"Do you really think that's gonna happen?" Ben asked nervously.

"I don't know, Ben, but I want to make every moment count if it does." She said.

"Now don't go getting ahead of yourselves." Max said, rolling his eyes. "Just because I reacted the way I did  
doesn't mean your parents will..."

"No, but you married an alien!" Gwen said.

"What?" Max asked as he felt suddenly lost in the conversation.

"You're willing to go through with inter-species relationships but you freak about us." Ben said, showing  
uncommon acuity.

"You did just throw it on me, you know." He said dryly.

"Sorry, grandpa." They said in unison.

"Next time if you're gonna do something like that, either be a bit more discrete or better yet don't end up in  
bed together." He said.

"Well, either there won't be a next time because we'll be forbidden from seeing each other, or there won't be a  
next time because we'll have their blessing." Gwen said, still holding Ben close.

"Fine, just please keep it somewhat low-key, will you?" He asked with a tired expression.

"All right." Gwen said and turned to look at Ben.

"Gwen..." Max said as Gwen leaned forward and touched her nose to Ben's. "Well, I'll allow Eskimo kisses  
but that's it."

"So then French kissing her is out of the question..." Ben said with a grin and Max gave a tired groan.

"March." He said and they did just that.

INSIDE...

Two pair of green eyes tracked carefully across the lobby, scanning for the four people who are going to  
decide the course their relationship will be taking from there out.

"They're not here." Max said as he walked up behind the two. "They're waiting in the dining room."

He walked past them and they follow him through a set of doors and down a hall into a medium-size room  
where they immediately see the two sets of parents talking. As they entered the dining room, Ben reflexively  
reached out to Gwen and enfolded her hand in his and it was at this moment that all four heads turned to face  
them and all eight eyes fixed on the singular point of contact between the two.

"What's this?" Carl asked, finally breaking the silence. Max glanced back and rolled his eyes as he saw the  
two holding hands.

"That's one way to go about it." Max said dryly.

"Mom, dad, Ben and I are... in love." Gwen said.

"And it's not the standard type of love cousins share, I'd say it's safe to guess." Lily said.

"No, it's not." Ben said, shaking his head.

"When did you first admit this to one another?" Sandra asked.

"Last night. We were playing truth or dare and it just came out." Gwen said.

"And you just volunteered that information? What was the alternative?" Frank asked.

"It was either that or I eat a big bite of grub worm stew." Gwen said, grimacing.

"And why did you ask her that, Ben?" Frank asked as he turned his attention to Ben.

"I loved her and I wanted to know if she felt the same way." Ben said.

"So you got her to play truth or dare?" Frank asked, hiking his eyebrow.

"Actually the game was my idea..." Gwen said, blushing as all four adults turn their attention to her.

"You started the game?" Lily asked.

"Yes." Gwen said.

"What possessed you to start the game?" Lily asked.

"Well... you see... he wasn't the only one who wanted to know how the other was feeling..." She said.

"Wait a second... You're saying that both of you had feelings for one another and by happy coincidence you  
both came to the same conclusion at the same time and decided to find out if the other loved you during this  
game of truth or dare?" Frank asked.

"Yes." Gwen said simply.

"Well, that's about par for the course." Frank said dryly.

"Dad... I love Ben..." Gwen said.

"I can appreciate that, Gwen." Frank said, interrupting his daughter. "There is nothing you can really do to  
stop your heart if it wants to fixate on someone."

Gwen's train of thought derailed as he said this.

"What?" She finally asked.

"What I'm saying is I have no problem with you being involved with Ben." Frank said. "After all, we've  
noticed a positive shift in you since you two have been spending time together."

"Frank's right, honey," Sandra said. "You have grown up a lot since you and your cousin have been going out  
with your grandfather and we think that it's in part to your being with your cousin."

"Wait a second... just how long do you think we've been together?" Gwen asked, looking at her mother.

"Well, we noticed a change in Ben when he came back the first time... he was talking about you almost non-  
stop for almost a week before finally calming down, but we chocked it up to time spent with you in a cooped-  
up environment. The next time, however, there was a spark in his eye when he talked about you so I guess it  
was then..." Carl said.

"Uh... we just confessed our love for each other yesterday..." Gwen said.

"You're kidding." Sandra said dryly.

"No." Gwen said.

"But it seemed so obvious..." Sandra said.

"Maybe... but we didn't realize it until last night..." Gwen said.

"Well... that is... we didn't confess it..." Ben added.

"So you decided to trick him into playing truth or dare?" Sandra asked.

"Well... yeah..." Gwen said.

"Huh." Sandra said.

"So then..." Gwen said and they look at the two nervous teens.

"You have our blessing." Frank said.

"Just keep it PG-13 until you're a little older." Lily added.

"And if you do decide to try anything..." Frank amended.

"Which they had better not..." Lily said dryly.

"Just be careful, you two." Sandra said, stopping the dueling couple. "If you're going to do anything, take  
steps to protect yourselves, alright?"

They nod their agreement.

"Thank you. Now, tell us what sort of things you two have been up to this summer, aside from playing truth  
or dare, I mean..." Sandra said.

HOURS LATER...

"It sounds like you've had quite a time," Sandra said. "I mean between seeing all those sights and that cougar  
attack you battled through... it's just incredible!"

"It is, isn't it?" Gwen said, thinking back to the 'cougar attack' which was really one of the times they faced  
off against Vilgax.

"You know, it's almost time for dinner... do you want to join me for some mealworm stew?" Max offered and  
the two sets of parents blanched in unison.

"Hey, dad, why don't we treat you to dinner here..." Frank said.

"All right... those mealworms can just wait until tomorrow, then..." Max said and they walk out of the dining  
room and to a nearby Chinese restaurant...

TWO HOURS LATER...

"Thanks again for dinner, it was great." Max said.

"It's no problem." Frank said. "Seeing you again made it worth it."

"Well, we've got go get going..." Max said before giving hugs all around and then starting back to the Rust Bucket.  
He glanced back at Ben and Gwen who are still hugging their respective parents. "Come on, you two..."

"Coming!" Gwen called and the pair released their parents before jogging over to the RV hand-in-hand. As  
they stepped aboard, Max glanced over at them.

"And I thought you two were inseparable before..." Max said, eyeing their clasped hands.

"Ben... What about the future?" Gwen asked.

"What do you mean?" Max asked, confused.

"Well... two years ago, we were visited by our future selves... Gwendolyn and Ben Ten-Thousand... do you  
think that we messed up that future?" Gwen asked.

"I think that it's gonna be just fine..." Ben said, smiling at Gwen. "After all, we were still living together  
then..."

"Oh... you're right..." She said, smiling softly.

"Ready kids?" Max asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be..." Ben said and they start off down the road.

The End.

Author's Note: Yeah, I know it's fluff but that's the stuff that some people like. For the record, there will be  
no sequel to this. This is a one-part and really came from a plot bunny that I wanted to quash. I hope you  
liked it. Please read and review, and as always a HUGE thanks to Anime Apothecary for all his dedication in  
making my writings into something that people would call decent writing. ^_^ I would also like to add a  
HUGE thanks to n3k0-b0i who posted an absolutely massive review that helped me with the rewrite of this  
story. THANKS!!! ^_^ As you can tell, it's reviews that keep authors like myself working so PLEASE  
REVIEW!!!

TK


End file.
